Method for marking a small-volume single-dose container, and container thus marked

ABSTRACT

A method for marking a vial made from a material that is transparent or at least translucent, intended, in particular, for pharmaceutical and/or cosmetic use. The container includes a foot ( 12 ), a body ( 14 ) and a head ( 16 ), the foot taking the form of a tongue having two faces, one of which receives a label ( 32 ). The container is characterized in that a mark ( 30 ) is made on the face of the foot ( 12 ) that receives the label, prior to the affixing of the label, and in that the label is affixed to the face once the mark has been made, such that the label covers the mark.

This invention relates to a process for marking a small-capacitysingle-dose container.

The invention also covers the thus marked container. Small-volumesingle-dose container is defined as a container that is designed tocontain volumes on the order of 0.1 to 5.0 ml.

These containers that are also called vials are therefore disposable.The small volume makes it possible not to waste the active product.Actually, certain products degrade upon contact with air and can becomecontaminated after opening or during use.

Also, the fact of using single-dose vials makes it possible to use asterile product, effective for each application on the same patient orfor treatments of different patients without transmitting what this isand by ensuring the effectiveness of the active ingredient.

In addition, handling is simple because each vial makes it possible todeliver the product that is contained therein in small quantities, withprecision because of a suitable shape of said vials that comprise a neckthat is generally conical in shape and an opening with a very smalldiameter.

The opening is obtained by removal of a seal, generally welded, in avery easy way, owing to a rotation of said seal relative to the body ofthe container. This seal is thus very resistant to accidental tearingand can be removed easily.

It is also noted that, because of their very small volume, thesecontainers retain—due to the interplay of the phenomena ofcapillarity—the liquid in the body of the container when the latter isfluid and especially when the fluid is viscous.

The user is to exert a slight pressure on the body of the vial torelease the product and to adjust exactly the moment of said release.

There are numerous applications, for example, for:

-   -   Eyewash,    -   Rhinology products,    -   Physiological serum,    -   Antiseptics,    -   Products for the treatment of asthma,    -   Cosmetic products.

These vials are manufactured in line and in very large numbers and aregenerally presented by lots of vials that are juxtaposed and connectedto one another in a detachable way by their sides.

Because of the very small volume of such vials, it is also understoodthat this will create stresses.

The first is the gripping of the container with fingers, which isdifficult to accomplish, primarily with adult fingers and all the moreso when these fingers are large.

Also, the concept was developed of adding a tab to the body of the vialon the lower part to increase the size of the single-dose containerdimensionally without thereby increasing the useful volume.

In addition to largely improving the gripping and the handling, this taboffers another advantage relative to the marking

Actually, the body of the container generally has a more or less curvedshape that makes the affixing of a label difficult.

The thus added tab can be connected by welding during the manufacturingof the vial or factory-mounted with the vial by flattening the surfacesso as to constitute a flat tab, placed in the extension of the body ofthe vial, on the lower part.

Thus, the vials can receive a label that is connected by bonding, forexample.

This label can therefore bear a logo, a mark, or an identification ofthe product.

Nevertheless, a problem exists, that of marking, during manufacturing onthe production line, data connected to the specific production, i.e.,the lot number, the manufacturing date, the expiration date for citingonly these data.

However, these data should be marked in a stream on the containers.There are several marking methods, but the simplest and most widely usedis the marking with ink by means of a print head. The marking is affixedto the tab, on the opposite surface from the one that bears the label.

Thus, in the arrangements of the prior art, a vial is used that isequipped with an extension in the form of a tab, of which one of thesurfaces bears a label and the other surface bears a marking that can beread directly, printed on the spot.

This arrangement presents a drawback, that of subjecting the marking toexternal damage such as contact with liquids, in particular moisture, totemperature variations, to mechanical friction, for example the rubbingof fingers, and therefore to risks of at least partial erasure of themarking

However, it is prudent to ensure that the marking is permanent sincewithout the information, the contents of the vial should not be used.The problem is all the more significant when the vials contain liquidswith long expiration dates, allowing many more opportunities fordegradation of said marking

This invention relates to a marking process that makes it possible toremedy the problems raised by the products of the prior art and ensuresa reading of the marked data as well as the necessary permanence.

The invention is now described in detail according to a particular,nonlimiting embodiment, relative to the explanatory drawings in whichthe different figures show:

FIG. 1: A perspective view of a set of vials according to the invention,

FIG. 2A: A perspective view of a vial according to this invention, aftermarking and before affixing a label, on the marking side,

FIG. 2B: A perspective view of a vial according to this invention, aftermarking, before affixing a label, on the side opposite to the marking,

FIG. 3A: A perspective view of a vial according to this invention, aftermarking and before affixing a label, on the marking side,

FIG. 3B: A perspective view of a vial according to this invention, aftermarking, after affixing a label, on the side opposite to the marking

In FIG. 1, vials 10 are shown according to this invention, generallyproduced by blow-molding extrusion, filling in a stream and sealingafterward, in a sterile environment when the product requires it. Withthe process and the device being known, the description is not furtherillustrated. The vials are generally presented in a strip, as in FIG. 1comprising several vials.

As shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, each vial comprises a foot 12, abody 14, and a head 16.

The foot 12 forms a tab and generally results from a hot-plating of thewalls of the container in such a way as to produce a surface, in thiscase a flat one, rectangular, with a thickness that is equal essentiallyto double the thickness of the wall of the container or a smallerthickness based on the initial volume that is used and the surface thatis created from this volume.

These vials 10 are connected to form a strip 18; in this case, they areconnected by their sides, by connecting means 20.

These connecting means 20 are suitable for making the connectiondetachable, by breaking the connection facing the connecting means, thusmaking it possible to sample one of the end vials, with the othersremaining connected.

The body 14, of small volume, is hollow for receiving the product 22, inthe form of liquid, gel or solution, for example.

The volume is preferably adapted to the general shape of the container,and it is noted that the geometry of the body is a bit flattened, in theembodiment shown.

The head 16 is factory-mounted after filling and results from adeformation under hot conditions of the upper part of the container.

This head 16 comprises a neck 24, a cap 26, and a weakening point 28between the two for ensuring an easy withdrawal of said head and foraccessing the product. This weakening point 28 is broken, often byrotation of the cap 26 relative to the neck 24. The neck is then openfacing the weakening point and allows the product to flow by invertingthe vial and in general by pressure on the body because the liquid canbe retained by capillary action in said body because of the small volumeand the small diameter of the outlet opening.

During this operation, the vial 10 is held by the user by its foot 12.On this foot 12, as shown in FIG. 2A, a marking 30 of the typecorresponding to the expiration date, the manufacturing date, and thelot number is ensured.

This marking is done on the front surface, for example, by a print headwith an inkjet, of the commercial type, with the ink preferably being anink of aqueous medium.

The marking is therefore ensured in a stream on the palette consistingof the foot of the vial.

It is noted that the marking that is done on the front surface is amirror-image marking, i.e., with characters as they would be presentedin mirror image of normal writing.

It is noted that the material that is used is generally polypropylene orpolyethylene, which both have the property of being transparent or atleast translucent.

On this front surface, the user would have trouble reading the markingor at least immediately determining the content of the data foundtherein.

In contrast, in FIG. 2B, it is noted that the reverse of the tab thatconsists of the foot 12 makes the marking appear in transparency and isdirectly readable, writing on the spot, making it possible to grasp thedata immediately.

FIG. 3A shows the vial 10 with its marking 30, but the front surface hasreceived a label 32 that masks the marking and covers it, thus ensuringits protection against mechanical damage or moisture or contact withliquids such as water, and exposures to UV radiation that can degradethe marking ink.

These labels are generally also made of polymer materials such aspolyethylene, although these labels are very strong mechanically andresistant to moisture, and the adhesive that makes possible the adhesionto the foot of the vial is very strong. These labels are thereforepreferably made of a material that comprises a polymer with a highdegree of adhesiveness.

One of the advantages derived from this invention relative to possiblecounterfeiting is also noted because if a third party withdrew the labelfrom the foot for the purpose of repackaging or falsification of theprinted data, the marking would be heavily damaged by the removal ofsaid label.

The label also has an advantage of reinforcing the readability.

Actually, the bottom of the labels is generally opaque, white, althoughthe marking 30, generally black, is all the more readable.

The label bears notes that are also useful, but the marking is done witha printing machine with suitable inks and possible polymerization byheat or by UV, which makes this printing very resistant both to wear andin general to any degradation by moisture or by friction.

Also, the content of the writing on the labels does not pose the sameproblem as that of the marking on the vial, and the degradation is not aproblem, at least under the conditions of normal use of these productsthat are generally pharmaceutical or cosmetic.

With the process for marking a vial comprising a foot 12, a body 14, anda head 16, said foot that is in the form of a tab with two surfaces, oneof these surfaces receiving a label 32, is characterized in that amarking 30 is affixed to the surface of the foot 12 receiving the label,prior to the affixing of said label, and in that the label is affixed tosaid surface, by covering said marking, once the latter is done.

Said writing in the process according to the invention consists moreparticularly in affixing in mirror image the marking on the surface thatbears the label.

1. Process for marking a vial made of transparent or at leasttranslucent material, in particular with a pharmaceutical and/orcosmetic guide, comprising a foot (12), a body (14), and a head (16),said foot in the form of a tab with two surfaces, one of these surfacesreceiving a label (32), characterized in that a marking (30) is affixedto the surface of the foot (12) receiving the label, prior to theaffixing of said label, and in that the label is affixed to saidsurface, by covering said marking, once the former is done.
 2. Processfor marking a vial according to claim 1, wherein the marking (30) ismade in mirror image.
 3. Process for marking a vial according to claim1, wherein the marking (30) is done by ink printing.
 4. Process formarking a vial according to claim 1, wherein the label is made of amaterial that comprises a polymer with a high degree of adhesiveness. 5.Vial made of transparent or translucent polymer material comprising afoot (12), a body (14), and a head (16), said foot in the form of a tabwith two surfaces, with one of these surfaces receiving a label (32),wherein on one of the surfaces of the foot (12) in the form of a tab, itcomprises a mirror-image marking (30) on which said label is superposed,with said marking being readable on the spot only by transparency on thesurface opposite to the one receiving the label.
 6. Vial made oftransparent or translucent polymer material according to claim 5,wherein the volume is between 0.1 and 5 milliliters.
 7. Process formarking a vial according to claim 2, wherein the marking (30) is done byink printing.
 8. Process for marking a vial according to claim 2,wherein the label is made of a material that comprises a polymer with ahigh degree of adhesiveness.
 9. Process for marking a vial according toclaim 3, wherein the label is made of a material that comprises apolymer with a high degree of adhesiveness.